Seth MacFarlane Never Expected The ‘Rage’ Caused By Brian’s Death On ‘Family Guy’

It was Seth MacFarlane’s turn to face the firing squad that is the Television Critics Association Press Tour today, as the Family Guy creator sat down to talk about everything from his latest Fox project to why he murdered one of his most beloved talking animals, Brian Griffin. Proving that Fox is basically cutting him blank checks to do whatever he wants, MacFarlane opened up about his upcoming documentary, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, but all people cared about was why he killed Peter Griffin’s best friend.

More specifically, MacFarlane was asked what he thought of the reaction to Brian being killed, as people were apparently furious despite the fact that everyone knew he’d be back.

“It surprised all of us,” the writer-producer-actor told a huddle of reporters after his Television Critics Association press tour panel Monday for his upcoming Fox astronomy documentary Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey. “We were all very surprised, in a good way, that people still cared enough about that character to be that angry. We thought it would create a little bit of a stir, but the rage wasn’t something we counted on.”

MacFarlane also said he thinks the stunt helped the show’s ratings and revealed his reason behind the move: “It did what it was designed to do — it reminded people this is still a show where anything that can happen despite the fact it’s been on for awhile.” (Via Entertainment Weekly)

MacFarlane also said that he’s never going to kill Brian again, because they’ve already done it, which leaves a lot of really easy jokes hanging on the bottom branches, but I’ve vowed to be nicer this year. Other people? Not as much, because one critic also managed to take a little shot at MacFarlane’s involvement with the Fox “comedy” Dads, which has not been a favorite of critics since it debuted.

According to EW, the critic asked MacFarlane if Cosmos is an attempt to “balance out” his efforts, which was a very nice way of asking if a serious documentary about space is his effort to get people to forget how bad Dads is.

“Um, I would submit that the question is flawed,” he said. “We have different opinions about certain things. I get involved in shows and people I’m enthusiastic about and trust. [Dads writer-producers Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild] are two of the funniest writers I’ve ever worked with and for me it was a great move… it’s not a matter of balance in my mind.”

If you give MacFarlane credit for anything – not including how much money he’s worth or for dating Emilia Clarke and possibly Charlize Theron – it should be for sticking to his guns and being loyal to his friends, because most other producers would have flushed Dads down the toilet by now.

Charlize Theron!? What. I obviously don’t know her, but her talk show persona is only slightly more congenial and less patronizing than her typical ice queen typecast role. If Seth MacFarlane attracts her, then this has huge ramifications.

Dads is not good. But it isn’t demonstrably worse than most of the new sitcoms. It is amazing how the Internet as a force fought so hard to bring Family Guy back and when we get it back we’re over it and Macfarlane is suddenly a hack.